Oral
inflammation occurs during puberty, pregnancy, menses, and
therapy with
hormones (especially
oral contraceptive agents), and other medications such as
phenytoin. Alterations of the oral environment result from fluctuations of plasma and salivary sex
steroids. The ratio of the sex
steroids to one another, and their absolute concentration, determine the amount of
prostanoid and
peroxidase production and salivary flow. These relationships are complex and are not readily predictable; however, they are reproducible in both humans and animals. The sex
steroids exert profound effects on the function of many nonsexual organs; particularly the skin, bone, liver, salivary glands, and oral tissues. We reviewed the currently available information concerning sex
steroid action on salivary glands and oral epithelium. In light of the dramatic drop in sex
steroid levels at menopause, the purely psychogenic nature of
glossodynia or burning mouth (stomatopyrosis), first manifested at menopause, requires further consideration and study.